Judiciary And Legal Systems Questions
A bench trial is a legal proceeding in which a judge alone hears and decides the case, without the presence of a jury. In this type of trial, the judge acts as both the fact-finder and the decision-maker, evaluating the evidence, applying the law, and rendering a verdict.
On the other hand, a jury trial involves a group of impartial individuals, known as jurors, who are selected from the community to hear the evidence and determine the outcome of the case. The jury is responsible for assessing the credibility of witnesses, interpreting the law as instructed by the judge, and reaching a verdict based on the evidence presented during the trial.
The main difference between a bench trial and a jury trial lies in the fact-finding process. In a bench trial, the judge is solely responsible for determining the facts of the case, while in a jury trial, the jurors collectively decide the facts. Additionally, the decision-making process also differs, as the judge alone decides the outcome in a bench trial, whereas the jury deliberates and reaches a verdict in a jury trial.